Radiodetector



Dem-2s. 1924. 1,513,326

- W. C. LAMPHIER Filed Feb. 9. 1923 Patented Oct. 28, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

W I LBUR C. LAMPHIER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RADIODETECTOR.

Appflieation filed February 9, 1923. Serial No. 618,023.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILBUR C. LAMPHIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Radiodetectors, of which the following is a specification This inventionrelates to new and novel improvements in apparatus for wireless or Hertzian wave telegraphy and especially pertains-to the class of instruments known as detectors.

The primeobjectof the invention is'to provide asimple, economical, and thoroughly efficient detector which will be unusually sensitive in action, durable under the usual conditions of operation on land and sea and at the same time capable of retaining its' adjustment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a radio detector in which its sensitive contact points will be formed from graphite or carbon and steel-wool.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the detector that it will retain its sensitive spot for a greater length of time than those usually employed, without the necessity for any readjustment, since it is comparatively free from static discharges which is the cause of considerable trouble when a vacuum tube is used.

The foregoing and such other objects as may appear from the ensuing description are accomplished by the construction, arrangement, location and combination of the several parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly set forth in the claims appended hereto, it being understood that slight changes in the precise form, proportions and minor details of the construction may be resorted to without departing from or sacificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, it will be seen that:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the means embodying my invention, taken in the plane of the dotted lines l1, Fig. 2.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, and

Figure 3 is a side elevation.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to designate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

spe'ctively the binding posts 7 and 8 for the leading-in and leading out conductors.

Through the inner-end portion of the contact plate 5is drilled and tapped a'threaded,

opening for the reception of a screw 9 for securing the steel-wool cup 19 in contact with the upper face of said plate in the manner shown in Fig. 1. This cup is of generally cylindrical form and is preferably made of steel or other suitable material.

The contact plate 6 is formed with an integral upright portion 11, and an integral inwardly extending portion 12 overhanging said cup 10, said portion 12 being formed with a screw-threaded opening formed therethrough to receive the vertically adjustable screw 13. In the lower end of said screw 13 is suitably mounted a graphite or carbon needle 14- which forms the contact electrode of the detector, and as a precaution, the head of the screw 13 may be formed of a separate disk of vulcanized fibre or other desirable insulating material indicated at 15. The detector as hereinbefore described having been properly assembled, the cup 10 is filled with steel-wool 16, and the screw 13 will then be lowered until the graphite or carbon contact point touches or contacts with one or more strands of the steel-wool. It will be obvious that as the graphite or carbon needle 14: is lowered it will displace more and more of the wooly fibres of steel and the pressure of the contact will gradually and uniformly increase. In the event that the particular point. on which the needle bears does not give satisfactory results, or that from the use or other causes this particular contact has deteriorated, it is only necessary to slightly stir the steel-wool, and when said wool is released there will be a new contact point with substantially the same pressure which was before found most advantageous. The importance of being able to reach a new contact point with the least loss of time will be readily understood, when it is rememrated as to become useless while theoperator was taklng a message. 7

The electrical efficiency of this type of detector is materially increased owing to extra sensitlve contact points utilized in its construction, namely; steel-wool and graphite or carbon; that it will retain its sensitive spot for a lone time (sometimes for several evenings) without the necessity for any readjustment whereas those employing a crystal often have to be changed every few minutes, since the sensitive spot gives out or is burned out by static discharges, while this detector is practically free from static discharges; can be manufactured at a minimum expense, and is much more sensitive and louder than any of the crystal detectors now employed. 7

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is l. A detector for wireless apparatus comprising two contact devices, one of which is a steel-wool sensitive contact member and the other graphite.

2. A detector for wireless apparatus comprising two contact bodies, one consisting of ,-steelwooland the other formed of carbon.

13. A detector for wireless apparatus comprising a base member, two metallic contact plates secured to the upper face of said base; one of said plates being provided with a cup filled with steel-wool and the other plate having an upright portion and lateral extended portion overhanging said cup, said lateral portion carrying a graphite or carbon needle.

4. A detector of the character described comprising a base member of insulating material, two metallic plates fixedly secured to its upper face, one of said plates having as; fixed thereto near its inner end a cup containing steel-wool, and the other plate formed with an upright portion and a laterally extended portion overhanging said cup,

said extended portion having secured thereto a carbon or graphite needle.

5'. A detector of the character described comprising a base member, two metallic plates secured to the upper face of said member, each plate having a binding post near its outer end, one of said plates being provided with a cup rigidly secured to its'inner end portion, said cup containing a steel-wool contact, the other plate formed with an integral upright portion and a laterally extended portion overhanging said cup, a

screw passing through said extended portion, and a graphite or carbon needle contact mounted in said screw.

V WILBUR O. LAMPHIER. 

